Cross-Talk between Diet-Associated Dysbiosis and Hand Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease which leads to pain and disability. Recent studies focus on the role of obesity and metabolic syndrome in inducing or worsening joint damage in hand OA patients, suggesting that chronic low-grade systemic inflammation may represent a possible linking factor. The gut microbiome has a crucial metabolic role which is fundamental for immune system development, among other important functions. Intestinal microbiota dysbiosis may favour metabolic syndrome and low-grade inflammation-two important components of hand OA onset and evolution. The aim of this narrative is to review the recent literature concerning the possible contribution of dysbiosis to hand OA onset and progression, and to discuss the importance of gut dysbiosis on general health and disease.

Keywords: diet; dysbiosis; hand osteoarthritis; lipopolysaccharide; obesity; trimethylamine-N-oxide; vitamin D.

Figure 1

Cross-talk between diet-associated dysbiosis and hand osteoarthritis pathophysiology. A poor lifestyle, coupled with an inadequate energy balance over the years, causes increased adiposity and obesity-derived gut dysbiosis. The permeable gut, colonized by an unfavorable microbiota, leads to increased concentrations of circulating pro-inflammatory molecules such as LPS and metabolites such as TMAO that could have an impact on the aberrant inflammatory process which characterizes hand osteoarthritis. Additionally, the growing adipose tissue secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines that negatively modulate this process. LPS: lipopolysaccharide; TMA: trimethylamine; TMAO: trimethylamine-N-oxide.